Game apparatus with spring-ejectable top

ABSTRACT

A body with a projectable top releasably disposed thereon, the top resting on a spring-loaded trigger which, when cocked, extends into the path of a rotatable cam movable upon manipulation of the body in indexing movements in concert with a ratchet wheel, contact of the cam with the trigger uncocking the trigger so as to project the top from the body. The cam is rotatable by a wheel. Indexing of the ratchet wheel is accomplished by a pivoted base that is located at the bottommost part of the body.

United States Patent Inventor Alvin R. Pottern Longmeadow, Mass.

Appl. No. 850,054

Filed Aug. 14, 1969 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 Assignee Milton BradleyCompany Springfield, Mass.

GAME APPARATUS WlTl-l SPRlNG-EJECTABLE TOP 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 124/16, 124/37, 46/135,124/33 Int. Cl F4lb 7/00 Field of Search124/33, 16,

2l,22,4l,37;46/146,145, 135, 116;273/l [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,990,643 7/1961 Zoeller 46/145 X 3,488,050 1/1970 Stanet a1. 273/1 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham AssistantExaminer-William R. Browne Ailorneys- Kenwood Ross and Chester E. FlavinABSTRACT: A body with a projectable top releasably disposed thereon, thetop resting on a spring-loaded trigger which, when cocked, extends intothe path of a rotatable cam movable upon manipulation of the body inindexing movements in concert with a ratchet wheel, contact of the camwith the trigger uncocking the trigger so as to project the top from thebody. The cam is rotatable by a wheel. Indexing of the ratchet wheel isaccomplished by a pivoted base that is located at the bottommost part ofthe body.

so 10 as GAME APPARATUS WITH SPRING-EJECTABLE TOP BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION l. Field of the Invention Spring-loaded ejection-type gameapparatus.

2. Description of the prior Art The prior art does not teach a gameapparatus wherein a spring-loaded trigger is actuatable by a cam movablein indexing movements with a ratchet wheel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object is to provide simple and inexpensivegame apparatus wherein a simulated bird or animal or the like has abody, in fanciful or comical form, and a cap or top which can be ejectedtherefrom by manipulation of the body, the body housing a spring-loadedtrigger which, when uncocked forcibly, strikes the top to eject it fromthe body.

Another object is to provide a ratchet-controlled cam mounted forindexing movements relative to the body to uncock the trigger. Thecontrolled ratchet is resettable by means of an external knob which willreset the cam at a random position without revealing the relativeposition of ratchet wheel and cam during play.

As still another feature, movement of members simulating the eyes of thebird or animal is coordinated with indexing movement of the cam, theeyes moving between the interior and the exterior of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS. 1 and 2 are views, inperspective, showing the manner of manipulation of the apparatus of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, part-sectional, view in front elevation, of theeyes of the apparatus, showing the pivotal mounting thereof relative tothe body;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, part-sectional, view in front elevation, of thetrigger and trigger actuator of the apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, part-sectional, view in top plan, of the feetof the apparatus, showing the pivotal mounting thereof relative to thebody.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game operates in basicprinciple much in the manner of Russian Roulette, envisioning acam-actuated, spring-loaded trigger in a body for forcibly ejecting atop or cap or wig upwardly and outwardly from the body upon manipulationthereof, the player not knowing when such ejection will occur.

The body, generally indicated by 10, is hollow and formed from a pair ofmolded thermoplastic half-parts; it preferably takes a comical or otherfanciful form, such as of a bird as shown in the drawing.

The top or cap or wig, generally indicated by 12, comprises a platformI4 carrying simulated feathers 16 or the like on its upper surface andhaving an integral stem or staff 18 depending from its lower surface.

Stem 18 is loosely and slidably receivable in a passageway 20 whichextends vertically inwardly from the upper end of body 10, the lower endof the stem abutting a trigger, generally indicated by 22, slidablydisposed within a trigger housing 24, which is vertically aligned withpassageway 20 and into the passageway opens.

Trigger 22 includes an upper horizontal wall 26 and an in tegral centerpost 28 depending vertically therefrom, the lower end of the center postbeing formed to provide an upwardly facing hooklike offset 30 having anintegral depending extension 32.

Center post 28 is sleeved by a compression spring 34 which extendsbetween trigger upper wall 26 and a base wall 36 of trigger housing 24.

When the trigger is in uncocked position, it is disposed entirely withinthe trigger housing. When the trigger is in cocked position, as shown inFIG. 3 and in solid lines in F IG. 5, center post 28 extends outwardlythrough an opening 38 in trigger housing base wall 36 so that hooklikeoffset 30 engages the lower surface of the base wall and extension 32 isdisposed below the base wall.

Opening 38 is of a size to permit the center post to be moved laterally,thereby to move the hooklike offset out of engagement with the base wallwhereupon the compression spring drives the trigger upwardly in thehousing, the offset passing freely through the base wall opening.

Such movement of the trigger ejects cap or wig l2 upwardly and out of oraway from body 10.

The trigger-actuating mechanism includes a ratchet wheel 40, rotatablymounted on a horizontal axis within body 10 below the trigger housingand having a manually engageable operating knob 42 sleeved thereon andextending outwardly from the body. See FIG. 5.

A vertically disposed ratchet stop 44, fixed at one end within the body,has a lower free and engageable in the teeth of the ratchet wheel topreclude counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel in one rotativedirection.

A horizontally extending shaft 46, sleeved at one end by the ratchetwheel, is journaled at its opposite end in a boss 48 provided within thebody. The shaft is provided with an outwardly extending cam 50 of suchsize as to be adapted to engage trigger extension 32, when the triggeris in cocked position, thus moving trigger center post 28 laterally tofree offset 30 from its engagement with base wall 36 of the triggerhousing, wherefor the offset and extension are free to move upwardlythrough opening 38 in the base wall so that the trigger can moveupwardly within the trigger housing under the urging of compressionspring 34.

Indexing of ratchet wheel 40 is effected by a ratchet 52 in the form ofa substantially upright, flat metal spring having a free upper endengageable in the teeth of the ratchet wheel and having an oppositelower end fixed to a platform or base 54 shaped to simulate the feet ofthe bird.

Platform 54 is pivotally related to body 10 by means of a pair of pivotpins 56 which extend outwardly from opposite sides thereof and arejournaled in bosses 58 provided interiorly of the body adjacent thelower end thereof.

Indexing is effected by resting the platform on a supporting surface,grasping the body, as shown in FIG. 1. and pushing it downwardly in thedirection of arrow A in FIG. 2, whereupon the body pivots relative tothe base on the pivot pins 56 to cause the free end of ratchet 52 toengage one of the ratchet teeth to rotate the wheel in one rotativedirection. When hand pressure is released, the body returns to the FIG.I position. with the free end of the ratchet riding downwardly to thenext ratchet tooth in preparation for the next indexing movement.

Simulated eyes 60 are mounted on an upright substantially T-shapedrocker arm 62 having pivot pins 64 extending horizontally outwardly fromits lower end and journaled in bosses 66 provided interiorly of thebody, the eyes being adapted to extend outwardly through providedopenings 68 in the body.

A push rod 70 extends upwardly from platform 54 and is adapted tocontact an offset 72 on rocker arm 62 to cause the rocker arm to rock onpins 64 to extend the eyes outwardly through openings 68 in the body, inthe manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, such extension taking place as thebody is moved to index ratchet wheel.

Platform 54 is spring-loaded by a compression spring 74 sleeved on pushrod 70 and confined by a horizontal wall 76 disposed interiorly by thebody above the platform and leaving an opening 78 therein through whichthe push rod extends.

Each time the cap or top 12 is ejected from the body, the game apparatusis reset, before cap reinsertion, by twisting the knob 42 clockwisewherefore cam 50 is moved to an unknown position. The cap is thenreinserted into the body and stem 18 The ratchet wheel is indexed andcam shaft 46 rotated by pivoting the body relative to the platform, asexplained, each such movement causing the wheel to index one tooth whilesimultaneously moving the cam shaft and causing the eyes to protrudefrom the body.

When 12 teeth on the ratchet wheel are used, as in the drawing, it ispossible to ratchet the wheel to a maximum of l l safe positions beforethe cam contacts the trigger to eject the cap. Of course, any othernumber of ratchet teeth may be provided.

Knob 42 resets ratchet wheel 40 and cam shaft 46 to an unknown positionfor each new play.

The ratchet wheel drives the cam shaft independently of the knob, allwherefor the position of the knob does not reveal the relative positionof the cam shaft.

The cam shaft is rotated by indexing movements of the ratchet wheel to arelease position, but is free to rotate away from the driving lug on theratchet wheel permitting the triggers to be cocked without the necessityof manually resetting the ratchet wheel by turning the knob. Withoutthis feature, the cam would prevent the trigger from cocking if it werein its release position.

The game apparatus may be used by several players in conjunction with aplaying board wherein moves are governed by specified rules of play.

The game is interesting and exciting for players of all ages in that theelement of suspense is ever present, the players never knowing when thecap will be ejected.

lclaim:

1. Game apparatus comprising, a body, a top releasably engaged with thebody, a spring-loaded trigger slidably attached to the body andengageable with the top, means for cocking the trigger, a cam meansbeing rotatable by a wheel, said cam means rotatably connected to thebody and rotatable into contact with the trigger for uncocking thetrigger for ejecting the top from the body said means for cocking thetrigger and the cam means being housed within the body.

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1, including a base pivoted at oneend to the body, a ratchet wheel on the cam, and a ratchet on the otherend of the base engageable with the teeth of the ratchet wheel formoving the cam upon counterclockwise rotation of said base.

3. Game apparatus according to claim 2, including a rocker arm pivotedwithin the body and a push rod fixed to the base and movable intoengagement with the rocker arm for moving the rocker arm betweenpositions interiorly and exteriorly of the body.

4. Game apparatus comprising, a body, a top releasably engaged with thebody, a spring-loaded trigger slidably attached to the body andengageable with the top, means for cocking the trigger, a cam rotatablyconnected to the body and movable into contact with the trigger foruncocking the trigger in ejecting the top from the body, a base pivotedto the body at the bottommost part of the body, a ratchet wheel on thecam, a ratchet on one end of the base and engageable with the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel for moving the cam when the base is pivoted, a rockerarm pivoted within the body, a push rod fixed to the base and movableinto engagement with the rocker arm for moving the rocker arm betweenpositions interiorly and exteriorly of the body, a knob for resettingthe ratchet wheel and cam shaft to an unknown position for each newplay, the ratchet wheel driving the cam shaft independently of the knobwhereby the position of the knob fails to reveal the relative positionof the cam shaft, the cam shaft being rotated by indexing movements ofthe ratchet wheel to a release position but being free to rotate awayfrom a driving lug on. the ratchet wheel for permitting the trigger tobe cocked without the necessity of manually resetting the ratchet wheelby the turning of the knob.

* r a: a:

1. Game apparatus comprising, a body, a top releasably engaged with thebody, a spring-loaded trigger slidably attached to the body andengageable with the top, means for cocking the trigger, a cam meansbeing rotatable by a wheel, said cam means rotatably connected to thebody and rotatable into contact with the trigger for uncocking thetrigger for ejecting the top from the body , said means for cocking thetrigger and the cam means being housed within the body.
 2. Gameapparatus according to claim 1, including a base pivoted at one end tothe body, a ratchet wheel on the cam, and a ratchet on the other end ofthe base engageable with the teeth of the ratchet wheel for moving thecam upon counterclockwise rotation of said base.
 3. Game apparatusaccording to claim 2, including a rocker arm pivoted within the body anda push rod fixed to the base and movable into engagement with the rockerarm for moving the rocker arm between positions interiorly andexteriorly of the body.
 4. Game apparatus comprising, a body, a topreleasably engaged with the body, a spring-loaded trigger slidablyattached to the body and engageable with the top, means for cocking thetrigger, a cam rotatably connected to the body and movable into contactwith the trigger for uncocking the trigger in ejecting the top from thebody, a base pivoted to the body at the bottommost part of the body, aratchet wheel on the cam, a ratchet on one end of the base andengageable with the teeth of the ratchet wheel for moving the cam whenthe base is pivoted, a rocker arm pivoted within the body, a push rodfixed to the base and movable into engagement with the rocker arm formoving the rocker arm between positions interiorly and exteriorly of thebody, a knob for resetting the ratchet wheel and cam shaft to an unknownposition For each new play, the ratchet wheel driving the cam shaftindependently of the knob whereby the position of the knob fails toreveal the relative position of the cam shaft, the cam shaft beingrotated by indexing movements of the ratchet wheel to a release positionbut being free to rotate away from a driving lug on the ratchet wheelfor permitting the trigger to be cocked without the necessity ofmanually resetting the ratchet wheel by the turning of the knob.